Free The Lawson Boys: Alex by Angela Verdenius Page B

table.
    That left only
her to serve them.
    Mentally
straightening her shoulders, she crossed to their table, pulling a
pad and pen from her apron pocket as she did so. Coming to a stop
at the table, she flicked the pad open and poised her pen above it.
“What will it be, Paul?”
    “Hmmm.” He
studied the menu. “Gimme a sec.”
    She could feel
Alex’s gaze on her and had to steel herself to paste a smile on her
face as she turned to him. “Alex?”
    He didn’t even
look at the menu before him. “Steak, eggs and chips. Coffee, strong
and black. Thanks.”
    Not by a
flicker of an eyelash did he give his thoughts away and for that
she could only be thankful. His expressionless face made it easier
to remain cool as she jotted down his order and turned back to
Paul.
    “Steak burger,
please” Paul announced, slapping the menu on the table. “With
chips. Oh, and can I have a banana milkshake?”
    “Getting
Becky’s cravings?” she asked dryly.
    “Yes, and don’t
say a word to her. I’m afraid of what else she might tell me she’s
craving.” Paul looked at Alex. “Pregnancy does strange things to a
woman, believe me.”
    “I wouldn’t
know,” Alex said quietly.
    The words made
Harly shift uncomfortably and she stepped back. “I’ll get these
orders in.”
    Retreating to
the counter, she handed the order through to Bill and his helper,
Frank. “Two more orders.”
    “Twenty
minutes,” Bill said.
    “Okay.”
    When the order
was called out Harly was busy at another table, so Leticia took the
order to Paul and Alex. From her stance at the espresso machine
Harly could see the younger woman flirt with Alex while she placed
the orders down, her arm brushing his as she moved to the side,
getting a little closer than needed.
    Alex smiled and
nodded at Leticia while Paul picked up the burger and took a big
bite, a blissful expression crossing his face as he chewed. Leticia
asked something and Alex shook his head, answering politely. She
shrugged, smiled and came back to the counter.
    Harly looked up
from placing two cups on a tray .
    “Wow, that new
bloke is hot.” Leticia took the tray and order form as Harly pushed
it across the counter.
    “Oh?”
    “Yeah. I asked
him if he wanted to go to the club tonight for a drink and dancing.
He turned me down.” Leticia wrinkled her nose in disappointment.
“Said he had another engagement.”
    “Huh.”
Perversely glad, Harly started getting the next order ready.
    “Never mind.”
Leticia picked up the tray and smiled widely. “There’s more game
out there for this huntress!”
    Pausing, Harly
watched her walk away with her hips swinging and the hem of the
uniform dress barely covering her trim bottom. There were a few
appreciative glances Leticia’s way. No doubt about it, that girl
would have dates lined up to last the next week. It was a sure
bet.
    Returning her
attention to the espresso machine, Harly continued to fill the
coffee orders. Maybe if she put herself out there more she’d score
a date, but she really couldn’t be bothered. Most of the men in the
town knew her, and those who weren’t already married just weren’t
interested in her as more than just a friend. She’d thought about
it a lot in her early twenties, wondering why she couldn’t score a
boyfriend. The truth was, the hormone-ridden teenage boys all
wanted the pretty, slim girls. Basically, the larger girls didn’t
really get a look in and those who did were usually married by
their early twenties.
    There had never
been that special man for Harly and she wasn’t prepared to settle
for just any bloke. If that one man who couldn’t see how special
she was didn’t come along, she chose to live alone with her pets
and house and hobbies, and she was happy.
    Or so she’d
thought, because then along had come Alex Lawson and now her
contented world was off-kilter. Once tonight was over, though, she
could get back to settling into her life and forgetting about
him.
    A customer
coming up to